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A guide to using the library of the American Antiquarian Society
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American Antiquarian Society
A Researcher’s Guide
A A S
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Welcome 1
A Brief History of AAS 3
Planning Your Visit
Library hours and procedures 5
What you can bring 6
AAS collections 7
Using the Library
Layout of the reading room 9
Handling collections 10
Requesting materials 11
Electronic resources 16
Photographic services 18
Photography policy 19
Travel Information
Driving to Worcester 20
Parking at AAS 21
Public transportation 22
Culture and recreation in the area 25
Accommodations 26
Addendum for Fellows
History 27
Fellowships at AAS 28
Library privileges 29
Technology and communications 30
Financial information 32
Fellows Directory 33
Fellowship report and publications 34
Contacts at AAS 35
Index 36
WELCOME
The staff of the American
Antiquarian Society is delighted
to have you here. As a scholar,
you are likely familiar with the
varied (and at times unusual) re-
quests made by research institu-
tions in the name of security and
conservation, and AAS is no dif-
ferent. We hope this booklet pro-
vides some preliminary guidance
regarding AAS policies and prac-
tices. On your first visit, you will
have an orientation interview to
further introduce you to the ins
and outs of doing research here.
We hope that from the first to
the last day of your stay, you will
be comfortable approaching the
reference desk or any staff mem-
bers with questions as they arise.
Our mission is not only to collect
and preserve early American
printed materials, but also to help
you access them.
“Time will make those which are modern, more precious—they will becomeantique.”
—Isaiah Thomas, October 24, 1814
1
2
A BRIEF HISTORY OF AAS
The American Antiquarian Society exists because of the vision
of Massachusetts newspaperman, printer, and publisher, Isaiah
Thomas (1749-1831). Concerned that “the antiquities of our
country [were] fast disappearing, and the ravages of time [were]
sweeping off many valuable relics,” Thomas founded the Soci-
ety in 1812, donating both funds and his own extraordinary
collection of early American imprints and newspapers. Since
then, through the efforts of librarians, curators, members, and
donors, the collections have grown steadily, and today AAS is
preeminent as a library of American history and culture in the
period from European settlement through 1876.
From the outset, Thomas conceived of AAS as a learned soci-
ety that would promote the study of American history and cul-
ture, and over the years it has continued to foster research and
education through numerous fellowship programs, publica-
tions, academic seminars, public lectures, and K-12 educator
workshops. The Society is also presently engaged in digitizing a
significant portion of the collections in order to make them
available to a wide array of new users.
We welcome you to the American Antiquarian Society. As a
reader you join the ranks of many generations of individuals
who have benefitted from Isaiah Thomas’s foresight and the
efforts of his successors. But more importantly, as you join
the community that is the true lifeblood of the AAS, you too
become a contributor to its mission. As Thomas said to the
first members of the society, I would say to you: “We cannot
obtain a knowledge of those who are to come after us, nor are
we certain what will be the events of future time so it should
be our duty to bestow on posterity that which they cannot give
to us, but which they may enlarge and improve and transmit to
those who shall succeed them. It is but paying a debt we owe
to our forefathers.”
Thomas G. Knoles
Marcus A. McCorison Librarian
3
4
Voted “that the library of the Society be opened to none butliterary characters.”
—AAS Council Meeting July 17, 1823
Library HoursMonday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday: 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Your First VisitThe library is open, free of charge, to researchers with
projects that our collections can support. No appointment is
necessary. Undergraduate students are asked to bring a letter
from their professor describing their projects. High school
students who need to use the collection must be accompanied
by a parent or guardian.
All new readers must complete a reader registration form
and bring two forms of identification (one bearing a photo-
graph, e.g., a driver’s license or passport). As part of their
orientation to the library, all new readers meet with a senior
staff member to discuss their research interests and to review
reading room policies.
Entering and Exiting the LibraryReaders sign the visitors’ log once daily upon entering the
library. Each time a reader enters or leaves the building, he or
she should update the sign in/out sheet.
ClosingsThe library is closed on weekends as well as on Massachu-
setts and federal holidays. An annual calendar of holidays is
posted on www.americanantiquarian.org/holidays.htm.
Occasionally the library needs to close early for a special
event. Should this be the case, a notice will be posted online
and in the visitors’ register at the reception desk. To find out
if the library is opening late (or not at all) due to inclement
weather, please call 508-471-2199 after 7:30 a.m.
ToursResearchers interested in learning more about the Society
should take advantage of the tour of Antiquarian Hall offered
on Wednesday at 3:00 p.m.
Getting to AASPlease see pp. 20-24 for travel information.
PLANNING YOUR VISIT
5
PLANNING YOUR VISIT
ComputersThe library provides computer
terminals to access AAS’s online
catalogs and databases, but you are
welcome to bring your own laptop
computer. Electrical outlets for lap-
tops are available under the tables in
the main reading room and in the
fellows’ carrels. The Society cannot
provide assistance in acquiring or in-
stalling hardware or software. Wire-
less Internet access is available, but
successful connection to the Soci-
ety’s network is not guaranteed.
LockersThere are facilities for overcoats,
galoshes, and umbrellas, as well as
lockers for other personal belong-
ings, in the reception area at the
front entrance of the building. The
Society takes no responsibility for
articles left at the coat racks or in
the lockers.
Technological CourtesiesMake sure your cell phone is off
or on silent mode before entering
the reading room. Do not make or
receive calls in the reading room –
there is a telephone booth in the
lobby if you need to make a call.
Please turn off the sound on
your laptop. If you need to use
headphones to listen to anything,
please keep the sound levels down
so as not to disturb other readers.
YESPencils
Paper & notes
Laptop computer
Camera
Your own books
(must be checked in
at reception)
NOPens
Bags or enclosures
Coat, jacket, or hat
Tripod or flash
Food or drink
No SmokingSmoking is prohibited
in all areas of the library and
in the scholars’ housing.
What Can I Bring?
6
AAS COLLECTIONS
An Overview
In nearly two hundred years of
collecting, the American Antiquarian
Society has acquired over three mil-
lion items. Only a very small per-
centage of the collection is shelved
in the reading room. Most materials
must be requested from over 20
miles of closed-stack shelving by
using call slips, available on the ref-
erence desk and near the public
computer terminals.
Bibliographic control is main-
tained through paper-based finding
aids, card catalogs, checklists, inven-
tories, and occasionally the back re-
cesses of a librarian’s mind. The
best place to start your search,
though – where the ever-growing
majority of items can be located –
is the Society’s online catalog:
www.catalog.mwa.org.
The following pages offer only
the briefest introduction to using the
collections, but following the theme
of this guidebook, please ask if you
have any questions.
Types of CollectionsThe Society organizes its collec-
tions into four distinct categories,
each with its own descriptive eccen-
tricities:
• Books and pamphlets
• Newspapers and periodicals
• Graphic arts
• Manuscripts
A comprehensive description of
AAS collections is available online
at www.americanantiquarian.org/
librarycollections.htm.
“The number of volumes now in thelibrary exceeds eight thousand, andthese are rendered almost useless fromthe fact that there are only two orthree individuals who are acquaintedwith their arrangement or contents,and perhaps no one who can at alltimes find the book called for.”
—AAS Librarian’s Report,
October 23, 1829
7
AAS COLLECTIONS
How Do I Find Items?
In general, AAS uses Library of
Congress Subject Headings. Certain
collection names have developed at
AAS over the years, such as Dated
Books for books published before
1820, and Misc. Pams for pamphlets
published after 1840. Please ask for
clarification of any unfamiliar terms.
Online CatalogBasic Search is an exact search.
It is best reserved for when you
know exactly which author or title
you want and you are confident that
you know how it is cataloged.
Guided Search is a keyword
search. It is a better place to start
your research as it will generate
more hits.
Searching by genre allows you
to limit queries to a particular type
of item such as “miniature books”
or “dictionaries.”
Multiple search limits can be
set for language, collection type, and
dates.
Card CatalogsWithin the card catalog alcove,
there are more than nine different
card catalogs. A map locating and
describing the various catalogs is
available in the reading room.
The Printers’ File is an under-
utilized resource that has cards for
pre-1821 imprints by publisher, city
of publication, and year.
WebsiteSome collections are not cata-
loged online or in the card catalogs.
Many of these uncataloged collec-
tions have inventories, finding
aids, or checklists available at
www.americanantiquarian.org/
librarycollections.htm
They can be keyword searched
by using the “Search this site” box
in the upper right-hand corner of
the website. Using this box also al-
lows you to search AAS’s online
content including transcriptions of
some manuscript collections, online
exhibitions, and other content.
8
USING THE LIBRARY
Layout of the Reading Room
Number of folders or volumes orboxes at a time:
One at a time for manuscripts,
newspapers, reserve items, graphic
arts, and pre-1820 imprints
Six at a time for everything else
(i.e., post-1820 items)
Returning items and exiting thebuilding: • Please return all items to the ref-
erence desk with their pink slips still
in them.
• Let the staff member at the refer-
ence desk know if you are finished
with each item or if you would like it
placed on hold.
• To leave the building you will need
to get an “exit card” at the reference
desk that you then give to the recep-
tionist. You do not need an exit card
if you are just going to the restroom
or phone booth in the reception
area.
Please Note Manuscripts or reserve items should
always be brought to the reference
desk to be held any time you leave
the front tables.
9
Most importantly, handle allitems carefully with clean, dryhands.
Below you will find our general
conservation policies for handling
specific types of items. Should any
questions or concerns arise about
handling, please request assistance at
the reference desk.
Bound Volumes• Open and view bound volumes in
book cradles only, even recent publi-
cations.
• Hold a volume open with book
snakes (available in the basket on
the reference desk) draped on the
outside corners. Please do not hold
open by hand.
• Uncut pages should be brought to
the attention of library staff. Please
do not try to separate them yourself.
Loose Papers/Folders• Lay loose papers and folders flat
and handle as little as possible.
• Lift up only to turn over. Do not
hold up while reading. For closer
reading, please use a magnifying
glass, available at the reference desk.
Graphic Arts• Leave graphic arts materials in
protective plastic sleeves.
• Image surfaces should never be
touched.
• Gloves may be required for cer-
tain collections.
Folded Items/Pocket Maps• Ask for assistance at the reference
desk when unfolding any item.
Please do not unfold it by yourself.
And it should go without saying
that…
USING THE LIBRARY
“No fire is ever to be made in therooms occupied for the Library andCabinet.... No fire or lights to be usedafter Sunset. Too much care cannot betaken as respects fire.”—Isaiah Thomas, in AAS’s first
donation book
10
“Future generations of readers have aclaim on these volumes which should berespected. Therefore, please handlecarefully.” —Label on AAS newspaper
volumes
Care and Handling of Collections
REQUESTING MATERIALS
The American Antiquarian Soci-
ety maintains a closed stack library,
which means you will have to fill out
call slips to request the materials you
wish to examine. For guidance on
finding materials and filling out call
slips, see p. 12-15.
When will I get the items I request?
Paging is continuous throughout
the day until half an hour before
closing. We strive for quick service,
so you will usually have your materi-
als within 15 minutes.
Occasional delaysStaffing becomes an issue at cer-
tain points in the day, usually break
times and lunch hours. While there
is rarely a significant lag, there may
be a slight delay. The best times to
request materials are:
9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
On very rare occasions we are
unable to page new materials for a
period of one hour due to staffing
shortages. We will let you know as
soon as possible if there will be a
delay so that you can request the
materials you will need in advance.
When the library is especially
busy, we also may limit you to three
books at a time. We make every ef-
fort to ensure that each reader has
at least some collection materials at
all times, but we may not be able to
retrieve everything you requested at
once.
How will I know when my materials arrive?
We will let you know when your
materials are ready for you. We will
give you guidance on any special
handling instructions and where
you should sit in the reading room.
11
NO
Call slips are not required for:
Reference books located in the reading room.
Return them to the reference desk – do not re-shelve.
Microfilm/fiche located in the microfilm room include newspapers,
directories, vital records, and manuscript collections. Return them to
the shelf at the back of the microfilm room.
Digitized items – most pre-1820 books and pamphlets, the broadsides
and ephemera collections, and many American newspapers have been
digitized in the Archive of Americana product. Early American Periodicals
are available on AAS’s Historical Periodicals Collection. Except in rare
cases, readers should utilize the digital surrogate to protect the original.
How do I know if an item has been digitized?If the record in the Online Catalog has a “Linked Resources” link at the
bottom, you can click on this link to pull up the digitized version.
Exception: Digitized newspapers or periodicals do not have a catalog
link.
REQUESTING MATERIALS
12
YES
A call slip is required for all materials housed in the closed stacks, including manuscripts, graphic arts, and newspapers.
Each item needs its own slip.
Exceptions: For multi-volume titles and departmental collections (man-
uscripts, graphics arts, newspapers) everything from that collection or
title goes on one slip.
Call Slips: When Do I Need One?
REQUESTING MATERIALS
Use the Online Catalog, card catalog,
or manuscript finding aid to find the
applicable information.
The Author field is used for the
main entry. Usually this is a person,
but could also be a company, society,
institution, etc.
If the Title is lengthy, just provide
its first few words.
Call numbers vary by collection. In
the Online Catalog, call numbers can
be found at the bottom of the
record. In the card catalogs, the
number can be found in the top left
margin of the card. If there isn’t a
more specific call number, use the
name of the collection, i.e., maps,
institutions, news, manuscripts,
postcards.
Please provide us with all thecall slips you have ready at once. There are limits on the number of
items you may view at one time, but
we are happy to hold extra items
for you until you are ready.
Completed call slips go in the green
box on the reference desk.
Materials will be brought to you
with the pink call slip receipt, which
remains with the item when it is re-
turned.
Please press firmly and writeclearly in pencil when filling out
the call slip, being as specific as
possible.
13
How Do I Fill Out a Call Slip?
REQUESTING MATERIALS
Books & Pamphlets
Most books & pamphlets have
an Online Catalog record. Items
published before 1840 are well cata-
loged online.
The general and imprints card
catalogs in the reading room,
though frozen in 1995, will be help-
ful in conducting an exhaustive
search for potentially overlooked
items.
For some collections, such as
hymnals, institutions, and cook-
books, the “Checklist for Uncata-
loged Collections” card catalogs in
the reading room offer the most
complete information.
Manuscripts
Most manuscript collections
have a record in the Online Catalog
that contains general biographical
and collection-level information.
Many manuscript collections are
included in the Catalogue of the Man-uscript Collections of the American Anti-quarian Society (Boston: G.K. Hall &
Co., 1979).
To request manuscripts, you
must refer to the reading room find-
ing aids (in the black binders to the
right of the desk) to specify exactly
which boxes or volumes you would
like to see.
How Do I Find and Request … ?
14
Number of Pages in BookOr Number of Volumes: __________________
MSS is always
the call number
for Manuscripts.
List specific boxes, folders, octavo
or folio volumes requested.
CALL NO.
MSS
Author: ___________________________Worcester, MA
Instead of author, list the cityand state of publication.
CALL NO.
NEWSUse NEWS as
the call number,
unless otherwise
indicated.
CALL NO.
U. S.Views
REQUESTING MATERIALS
Graphic Arts
Graphic arts collections may be
found in the following catalogs:
Pre-1821 engravings Catalogue of American Engravings:
www.catalog.mwa.org:7108/
Lithographs, engravings, broadsides, and ephemeraOnline Catalog:
www.catalog.mwa.org
Maps and sheet music Reading room card catalogs
Most other collectionsAAS online inventories:
www.americanantiquarian.org/
collectionsguide.htm
Newspapers
Almost all newspaper titles are
included in the Online Catalog with
the major exception of amateur
newspapers.
To determine which specific is-
sues AAS holds of these titles,
please consult the reading room
newspaper card catalog.
While many AAS newspapers
can be viewed digitally through
America’s Historical Newspapers, please
note there is no link from the On-
line Catalog. You must open Amer-ica’s Historical Newspapers separately.
15
Use the collection name as a call
number unless another is given.
ELECTRONIC RESOURCES
16
AAS provides onsite access to dozens of electronic resources, including
full text resources containing AAS content. Access is available in the read-
ing room and in the adjacent scholars’ housing. Remote access for most
AAS electronic resources is not available through AAS. During your time
at AAS, visit www.americanantiquarian.org/electronic.htm to access its
electronic resources.
Full text resources containing AAS contentURLs are listed for resources available outside of AAS. Subscriptions
to the other resources are available from AAS’s digital partners as identified
in parentheses.
AAS Histor i cal Per iodi cal s Coll ec tion (EBSCO)
Series 1: 1691-1820 & Series 2: 1821-1837
Archive o f Ameri cana (Readex)
• America’s Historical Newspapers, 1690-1920• American Broadsides and Ephemera• American State Papers, 1789-1838• Early American Imprints I (Evans), 1639-1800• Early American Imprints II (Shaw-Shoemaker), 1801-1819 • House and Senate Journals, Series I, 1789-1817• Senate Executive Journals, Series I, 1789-1866• U. S. Congressional Serial Set
The Farber Gra ve stone Coll ec t ion (Cartography Associates,
David Rumsey) www.davidrumsey.com/farber
Grant-Bur r Family Paperswww.americanantiquarian.org/GrantBurr/index.htm
Manuscr ip t Women's Le tt e rs and Diari es fr om the Ameri can Antiquarian So ci e ty, 1750-1950 (Alexander Street Press)
Nor ther n Vis ions o f Race, Region & Refo rm http://mac110.assumption.edu/aas/default.html
Sabin Ameri cana, 1500-1926 (Gale)
ELECTRONIC RESOURCES
17
Other AAS Electronic Resources Other AAS electronic resources such as databases, online inventories,
finding aids, and checklists provide access to certain collections that are
not in the online catalog. A collection access chart at www.american-
antiquarian.org/librarycollections.htm provides links to these resources.
Several are highlighted below.
Catalogue of American Engravings (through 1820)www.catalog.mwa.org:7108
A New Nat ion Vote s: Ameri can Ele ct ion Returns, 1787-1825(Tufts University) http://elections.lib.tufts.edu
Nineteenth Century American Children’s Book Trade Directorywww.americanantiquarian.org/btdirectory.htm
Illustrated Inventories of AAS Collectionswww.americanantiquarian.org/illustratedinventories.htm
Manuscript Collection Descriptionswww.americanantiquarian.org/mssdescriptions.htm
Additional ResourcesAAS provides access to additional electronic resources, including:
• Accessible Archives • Ancestry Library Edition • America: History and Life • HarpWeek• American Periodical Series Online • Heritage Quest Online
See www.americanantiquarian.org/electronic.htm for a complete list of
links to AAS’s electronic resources. For further assistance, contact Caroline
Stoffel, Online Services Librarian, at [email protected].
Other Research ToolsA number of AAS’s newspaper titles have been microfilmed. For these
papers, the microfilm should be consulted rather than the originals. Other
collections that should be accessed on microfilm include vital records for
Massachusetts, some manuscript collections, city directories through 1900,
and the racy newspaper collection. AAS has a digital microfilm reader that
creates digital files from microfilm reels and microfiche. A Hinman Colla-
tor is available in the reading room for the mechanical collation of texts.
Please consult the readers’ services staff for more information.
Type of Reproduction Cost per Page Limits Format
Please note that the American Antiquarian Society retains the right to deny
imaging requests for any reason. Items determined to be too fragile by AAS
staff are not eligible for imaging. More complete information is available at:
www.americanantiquarian.org/reproductions.htm.
PHOTOGRAPHIC SERVICES
18
Photocopy OR PDF
Microfilm printout
Reading room database
printout *
Reading room
photography (see p. 19)
Digital scan of
unbound item
Digital image of
bound items
$.50 *
($.25 for fellows)
$.20 *
$.10
(first 10 free)
Free
$25 per scan**
$25 set up fee
plus additional
$1.50 per shot
for pre-1820
items, for fragile
items, and for
newspapers
OR $.75 per shot
for post-1820
items **
20 pages per
day total (both
formats)
Unlimited
Unlimited
Suggested
limit of 30
images per day
Unlimited
Unlimited
Paper copy in black & white
OR low-resolution digital
image in black & white
Paper copy in black & white
Paper copy in black & white
Your own digital or photo-
graphic image, no flash or
tripods
High resolution, professional
quality digital image in color
High resolution, professional
quality digital image in color
* Additional service fee of $15 for offsite orders
** Additional charge of $2 per CD or DVD, plus $5 for shipping & handling
PHOTOGRAPHY BY READERS
AAS currently allows readers to
use their own camera to photograph
suitable items for research purposes
only at no cost. The purpose of this
policy is to alleviate photocopying
and supplement note taking, not to
allow readers to duplicate entire vol-
umes.
For more extensive requests,
AAS offers professional-quality im-
ages in a variety of formats for a
fee. For images that will be pub-
lished in any form, you need to sign
a licensing agreement and fees may
apply. More complete information is
available at: www.americanantiquar-
ian.org/reproductions.htm.
The policy guidelines for per-
sonal reading room photography are
as follows:
All reading room policies forhandling materials will be enforced.
• Items in folders must be kept flat
and bound items kept in cradles;
materials may not be manipulated to
produce a better image.
• Before you begin, you will need to
fill out and submit the Reading
Room Photography Request Form
and Agreement to the readers’
services staff for approval.
• Please remain at one of the tables
in front of the reference desk while
photographing.
• As a courtesy to other readers,
please change your camera settings
to “mute.” You will also need to
turn off your flash.
• Using a tripod, special lighting, or
extra equipment is not permitted.
• Some items are ineligible to be
photographed, including those al-
ready available digitally, items from
the reserve collection, fragile items,
and anything that does not safely fit
on the specified table.
• The AAS source card must appear
in every shot.
• We recommend that you limit
yourself to 30 shots per day.
• AAS retains the right to deny re-
quests for any reason.
• Images may be used in conference
presentations or in the classroom,
but you may not reproduce the im-
ages you create in any print or on-
line publication.
19
DRIVING TO WORCESTER
Set your GPS or online-map des-
tination as follows:
• Library: 185 Salisbury Street,
Worcester, MA
• Scholars’ residence: 9 Regent
Street, Worcester, MA
• Goddard-Daniels House:
190 Salisbury Street, Worcester, MA
Or follow these directions to the
Library
:
From Boston (~50 miles) and
points east:
• Take the Massachusetts Turnpike
(I-90) West (toll road).
• Get off at Exit 10A/Millbury and
follow Rt.146 North towards
Worcester.
• Stay in the right lane to merge
onto I-290 East.
• Follow the boxed directions (p. 21)
from I-290 East to AAS Library.
From Providence, RI (~40 miles)
and points south:
• Take I-95 North through Provi-
dence to Exit 23/ Lincoln/
Woonsocket.
• Follow Rt.146 North for 26 miles
into Worcester.
• Stay in the right land to merge
onto I-290 East.
• Follow the boxed directions on p.
21 from I-290 East to AAS Library.
From points west:• Take the Massachusetts Turnpike
(I-90) East (toll road).
• Get off at Exit 10/Auburn and
follow I-290 East toward Worcester.
• Follow the boxed directions from
I-290 East to AAS Library.
From points north:• Take I-495 South (Exit 25B/
Worcester for I-290 West) or I-190
South (merges at its terminus into I-
290 West).
• Take I-290 West to Exit 18/
Ware-Framingham-Route 9.
• At the traffic light at the end of
the exit ramp, turn right onto Lin-
coln Street.
• Go a short block and take the first
right onto Salisbury Street (This sec-
tion of Salisbury used to be called
Concord St. and may still be listed
that way on some maps.)
• Stay in the center lane as Salisbury
Street bears to the right.
• Follow Salisbury Street for
mile. Just past the intersection at
Park Avenue, take the first left and
park on Regent Street.
20
DRIVING TO WORCESTER & PARKING
Parking at AASParking for readers is available
along Regent Street, which runs
along the Library’s west side; two
handicapped spots are available in
front of the building. For those
staying at the Scholars’ residence,
parking is available both on Regent
Street and in the residence driveway.
During the winter months (Dec. 1
to April 30), the City of Worcester
issues a parking ban on Regent
Street during periods of significant
snowfall (www.ci.worcester.ma.us
for the latest on parking bans). Dur-
ing a parking ban, readers and fel-
lows can find on-street parking on
the odd-numbered sides of Massa-
chusetts Avenue and Montvale Road
(see map).
From highway I-290 East to AAS Library: • Take Exit 17/Ware-Framingham-Route 9. At the top of the ramp,
turn left onto Belmont St. (Route 9)
• At the second light, turn right onto Lincoln Street (Route 70). Get in
the left lane.
• At Salisbury Street, turn left. (This section of Salisbury used to be
called Concord St. and may still be listed that way on some maps.).
• Stay in the center lane as Salisbury Street bears to the right.
• Follow Salisbury Street for mile. Just past the intersection at Park
Avenue, take the first left and park on Regent Street.
21
No parking on Park Avenue or
Salisbury Street in front of AAS.
Parking is permitted on Regent St.
and Drury Lane.
In the event of a city parking ban,
parking is allowed on the odd sides of
Massachusetts Ave. and Montvale Road.
AAS
At this time, there is very limited air-
line service direct to Worcester, and
the only Amtrak trains to pass
through the city are one eastbound
and one westbound train each day
on the Lake Shore Limited line
(Boston-Albany-Buffalo-Chicago).
But there are other good options for
getting here:
Regional bus service from citiesthroughout the northeastModern coaches now have free wi-fi.
Schedules, fares, and reservations for
all bus lines serving Worcester
(Union Station) can be found at
www.peterpanbus.com; 800-343-
9999. One-way fares and approxi-
mate travel times to Worcester:
• Boston (South Station) – $10;
1:00
• Providence – $16; :50
• Hartford – $18; 1:15
• New Haven – $27; 2:45
• New York City (Port Authority
Terminal) – $42; 4:15
Combining train and bus serviceAmtrak has frequent service to
Boston (South Station); Providence;
New Haven; New York City (Penn
Station), connecting with regional
bus service (see above),
www.amtrak.com; 800-872-7245.
GETTING TO WORCESTER WITHOUT A CAR
22
Commuter rail from BostonTrains on the Framingham/
Worcester line run from Boston
(South Station) to Worcester
(Union Station) several times a day,
but most frequently in the after-
noon rush-hour, when commuters
are returning to Worcester from
Boston. Check schedules at
www.mbta.com, 800-392-6100.
One-way fare: $7.75
By air to Boston (Logan Interna-
tional Airport, BOS). Ground
transportation options between
Worcester and Logan include:
• MBTA Commuter Rail,
www.mbta.com, 800-392-6100:
From Logan take a cab or the
MBTA Silver Line bus ($2) to
Boston (South Station). Then take
a Framingham/Worcester line
MBTA train ($7.75) to Worcester
(Union Station). See comments
above about the commuter rail
schedule.
• Regional bus, www.peterpan-
bus.com 800-343-9999: From
Logan take a cab or the MBTA Sil-
ver Line bus ($2) to Boston (South
Station). Then take a scheduled
bus ($10 off peak) to Worcester
(Union Station).
• Shared van service, from Logan
direct to AAS. Make advance reser-
vation with Worcester Airport Lim-
ousine ($59; www.wlimo.com; 800-
660-8992) or Knights ($55;
www.knightsairportlimo.com, 800-
822-5456). Even though you may
have to be patient as other riders
are dropped off, shared van service
may be your best option if you
have a late-evening arrival at Logan,
after bus and commuter train serv-
ice has stopped for the day. Both
companies also offer private car
service from Logan to Worcester
starting at about $140.
By air to Providence, T. F. Green
Airport (PVD): Shared van service
to Worcester is offered by Worces-
ter Airport Limousine ($68;
www.limo.com; 800-660-8992) and
Knights ($66; www.knightsair-
portlimo.com; 800-822-5456).
Advance reservations required.
GETTING TO WORCESTER WITHOUT A CAR
23
Transportation in WorcesterUnion Station is the Worcester
terminal for MBTA and Amtrak
trains and for all regional buses. It is
located at 2 Washington Square, ap-
proximately 1.7 miles from AAS.
Cabs are generally awaiting all ar-
rivals or can be called.
See page 24 for walking direc-
tions and a map.
CabsYellow Cab, 508-754-3211
Red Cab, 508-792-9999
Local bus service in Worcester
and central Massachusetts environs
is provided by the Worcester Re-
gional Transit Authority
(www.theWRTA.com, 508-791-
WRTA)
Car rental options range from
www.enterprise.com to www.zip-
car.com.
GETTING TO AAS FROM UNION STATION
24
Walking directions from the
Union Station to the Society follow
(30-35 min.):
• From the front entrance proceed
around the traffic circle to Summer
Street.
• Continue straight on Summer
Street.
• After .4 miles, turn left onto
Central Street.
• After .3 miles, turn right onto
Major Taylor Blvd. (also called
Worcester Center Blvd.).
• After .3 miles, turn left onto
Highland/Belmont Street (Route 9).
• In front of the Memorial Audito-
rium, turn right onto Grove Street.
• After two blocks, bear left onto
Salisbury Street. Walk .6 miles to
AAS.
© 2010 Google
Worcester and the Central New
England region have much to offer
visitors. Schedules of entertain-
ment, athletic, and cultural events
in the city are published daily in
the Worcester Telegram & Gazette(www.telegram.com) and weekly in
Worcester Magazine (www. worcester-
magazine.com).
A comprehensive directory of cul-
tural organizations and a calendar
of current offerings can be found at
www.worcestermass.org/culture,
where you can also sign up for a bi-
weekly e-newsletter of cultural
highlights.
Listed below are just a few places
you may want to check out while
you are in the area:
Historic sites and museumsWorcester Historical Museum
Worcester Art Museum
Worcester Public Library
Old Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge
Salisbury Mansion, Worcester
General Artemas Ward House
Museum, Shrewsbury
Asa Waters Mansion, Millbury
Fruitlands Museum, Harvard
Redemption Rock, Princeton
Willard House and Clock Museum,
Grafton
Blackstone River Valley National
Historic Corridor, Worcester to
Providence
Outdoor activitiesElm Park, Worcester
Tower Hill Botanic Gardens,
Boylston
Broadmeadow Brook, Worcester
Harvard Forest, Petersham
Wachusett Mountain, Princeton
Wachusett Greenways,
West Boylston and Holden
Purgatory Chasm, Sutton
Moore State Park, Paxton
Maps of other hiking trails
around Worcester:
www.recworcester.org/trails/
Movies, concerts & performancesShowcase Cinema North, Worcester
West Boylston Cinema, Worcester
Blackstone Valley 14 Cinema,
Millbury
Cinema 320, Clark University,
Worcester
Hanover Theatre for the Performing
Arts, Worcester
Mechanics Hall, Worcester
WORCESTER
25
ACCOMMODATIONS
Housing at AASThe Society recently renovated
its adjacent property at 9 Regent
Street, which is exclusively devoted
to housing scholars. Bed linens and
towels are provided. Each room is
equipped with an air conditioner,
alarm clock, telephone, and internet
access through the Ethernet jack.
An answering machine must be
provided by the resident. Residents
should plan to use a credit card or
calling card for long-distance calls.
A full kitchen, dining room, and
laundry room are available for
guests as well as a lounge with cable
television, a VCR, and DVD player.
The Society regrets that children
and pets are not permitted in the
house. For the health and safety of
all concerned, smoking is strictly
prohibited in the scholars’ housing
at all times.
For more information, please
contact Cheryl McRell in the Out-
reach Department. (AAS contact
information is provided at the end
of this booklet.)
HotelsShould all of the AAS housing
options be booked, there are plenty
of alternative accommodations in
the area.
26
ADDENDUM FOR FELLOWS
The fellowship program is one of
the most important ways in which
the Society seeks to encourage the
best use of its collections by quali-
fied scholars and creative artists.
History of the AAS FellowshipProgram
With a grant provided by the U.S.
Steel Foundation, six scholars were
selected from a pool of 60 to begin
the American Antiquarian Society’s
fellowship program in 1972. The
success of that initial arrangement
prompted the Society to expand the
program the following year.
Since then, hundreds of fellows
have been supported by national
sponsors including the Andrew W.
Mellon Foundation and the National
Endowment for the Humanities, and
through generous gifts from close
friends of the Society.
The benefits of the AAS fellow-
ships moved beyond the walls of
Antiquarian Hall in 1981 with the ac-
quisition of the Goddard-Daniels
House, where scholars were housed
until 2010. The recently opened
scholars’ residence at 9 Regent Street
offers fellows the opportunity to live
near the library and engage colle-
gially with other scholars and artists
outside of the reading room.
Applying for a fellowshipDetailed application information
can be found on the AAS website:
www.americanantiquarian.org/
fellowships.htm
Curatorial AssistanceThe American Antiquarian Society’s
curatorial staff has a well-deserved
reputation for providing expert ad-
vice. Please feel free to take advan-
tage of their rich intellectual
resources to strengthen your appli-
cation before you apply and to help
you plan your research strategy.
Many fellows find once they arrive
at AAS that the curatorial staff is
the most valuable resource here to
help them find new research materi-
als and even transform their project.
“It must be acknowledged that thestudy of Antiquity offers to the curi-ous and the inquisitive a large field forresearch, for sublime reflection, and foramusement.”—An Account of the American
Antiquarian Society Report of
the Committee, October 1813
27
FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
28
Scholars in residenceFellowships are held in one con-
tinuous period and not in intervals
of weeks at a time. Fellows are ex-
pected to be in regular residence in
the library for the duration of their
fellowships. There is no requirement
to rent a room from the Society at
the scholars’ residence, but those
who do find the accommodations
comfortable and collegial. The li-
brary and scholars’ residence are
handicapped accessible. See p. 26
for housing information.
Anticipated ArrivalCheryl McRell of the Outreach
Department will contact you regard-
ing your anticipated arrival date. It is
your responsibility to arrive on the
day established, or to notify her re-
garding a schedule change.
OrientationAll fellows, whether they are
commuting or staying in Worcester,
begin their orientation at the God-
dard-Daniels House, not in the li-
brary. General orientation to the
Society and the fellowship program
is provided by Paul Erickson, direc-
tor of academic programs (for aca-
demic fellows), or by Jim Moran,
the director of outreach (for artist
fellows).
Fellows who are new to AAS will
need to fill out a reader application
form when they enter the library at
the beginning of their fellowship
(and provide two forms of identifi-
cation, one with a photograph). Fel-
lows will also receive an orientation
to library procedures and the re-
sources available in the reading
room on their first day in residence.
A more extensive orientation to
the collections and their relationship
to your proposed research will be
scheduled with the head of readers’
services, Elizabeth Pope. Curators
and other members of the library
staff are available for further con-
sultation.
Library ToursFree tours of the library lasting
about an hour are offered to the
public at 3:00 o’clock on Wednesday
afternoons. Fellows are encouraged
to take a tour early in their tenure
and to invite their friends and family
to visit on Wednesdays.
FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
Fellows’ TalksIn the first few days after your
fellowship begins, you will give a
brief talk to the library staff de-
scribing your project and the
sources you are hoping to use. At
some later point during your fellow-
ship, you will also be asked to give a
lunchtime fellows’ talk to the other
fellows in residence, interested staff,
and local scholars. These talks will
be described in detail during your
orientation meetings.
Library ProtocolFellows are given a lanyard with
a name badge as part of their li-
brary orientation. These are to be
worn whenever you are in the li-
brary. Just like any other reader, you
will need to sign the visitor’s log
once daily upon entering the library.
Each time you enter or leave the
building you should update the sign
in/out sheet.
CarrelsFive carrels are available for fel-
lows in the administrative offices
area of the library. After long-term
fellows have been accommodated,
they are available to short-term fel-
lows on a first-come, first-served
basis. Carrel space is limited, so we
are not always able to provide every
fellow with a carrel. Special reserve
arrangements can be made for fel-
lows not assigned carrels.
Certain library materials may be
checked out to your carrel; generally
these are books or pamphlets pub-
lished after 1840. Rare books, man-
uscripts, graphic arts, newspapers,
oversized items, as well as all pre-
1840 items are not eligible. The
same reading room rules apply in
the carrels for handling materials,
i.e., books must be examined in
cradles, pens are not permitted, etc.
Fellows are welcome to keep per-
sonal belongings such as books,
notes, and a computer in your car-
rel, but please be aware that the So-
ciety cannot assume responsibility
for them. You may NOT have pens,
post-it notes, food, drink, bags, or
jackets in the carrels. Wireless inter-
net access is available in the carrels
as well as the reading room.
Overnight LoansFellows staying at 9 Regent
Street may take out up to four re-
cent monographs overnight. They
are due back when the library re-
opens. Ask the readers’ services
staff for details.
Borrowing Privileges from LocalLibraries
As a temporary resident of
Worcester, you may borrow materi-
als from some of our local libraries.
Contact the director of academic
programs for further information.
29
FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
Internet accessThe Society provides fellows
with wireless access to the Internet
in the reading room, the library car-
rels, and the scholars’ housing. An
additional public terminal with a
printer is available 24 hours a day in
the fellows’ residence. The pass-
word-protected wireless network in
9 Regent Street will provide access
to the Society’s digital products.
Technical questions can be directed
to the network administrator, Nick
Conti.
TelephonesFellows may receive calls at the
Society’s main number, 508-755-
5221. If you are in the reading
room, your call will be transferred to
the telephone booth beside the
front door and you will be notified.
Carrel phonesEach carrel is equipped with an
extension telephone. You must dial
9 for an outside line. If you need to
make any long-distance phone calls,
you can charge them to your credit
card. Ask the readers’ services staff
for your carrel’s phone number to
receive outside calls.
Scholars’ residence For fellows staying at 9 Regent
Street, telephones are provided in
each bedroom. Answering machines
are not provided. There is also a
public phone on the ground floor of
the house. You can make local calls
there at no charge, or long distance
calls using your credit card.
EmergencyDial 911 for police, fire, and
medical emergencies.
MailMail addressed to fellows at AAS
(185 Salisbury Street, Worcester, MA
01609) will be placed in a mailbox in
the office area of Antiquarian Hall.
Please check your mailbox often for
mail and intralibrary messages. Be-
fore you depart, please give Cheryl
McRell a forwarding address. If you
are staying in the fellows’ residence,
mail can be sent to 9 Regent Street,
Worcester, MA 01609.
Fellows are welcome to use AAS
stationery for professional corre-
spondence while in residence, using
the title of fellow. AAS will pay
postage on professional correspon-
dence. You can obtain stationery
from the Goddard-Daniels House
office staff and details on where to
place outgoing mail.
30
FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
Parking Fellows residing at 9 Regent
Street may park in the driveway next
to the house or on the street. Fellows
who commute should park on Re-
gent Street or Montvale Road. (See p.
21 for a map.)
Break RoomThe break room in the basement
of Antiquarian Hall is available to
fellows before noon and after 2:00
p.m. Please avoid lunch hours when
the room is most heavily used by li-
brary staff. To get to the break room,
use the stairway near the women’s
restroom at the front of the building.
Like staff members, fellows are re-
sponsible for cleaning up after them-
selves. Coffee is available from
coin-operated brewers and soda and
snacks can be purchased from vend-
ing machines located outside the
staff room. Hot water is also avail-
able for tea. Fellows should bring
their own mug or cup. A locker is
provided in the break room for fel-
lows to share.
Dining FacilitiesFellows are welcome to use the
seminar room and the wrap-around
porch at 9 Regent Street for “brown-
bag” lunches. The kitchen there is
fully equipped, including a stove,
oven, and microwave. Fellows may
invite guests to join them there as
well. All persons using the kitchen
and dining room are responsible for
cleaning up after themselves.
There are also chairs on the ter-
race and a picnic table on the
grounds of the Goddard-Daniels
House that fellows, staff, and readers
are welcome to use in warm weather.
RestaurantsPlease ask the readers’ services
staff or at Goddard-Daniels House
for a list of nearby restaurants and a
map.
31
Stipend ChecksFellows’ stipends are paid by
check and the director of academic
programs or the director of out-
reach will discuss the schedule of
payment with you. Checks will gen-
erally be ready on the first Friday
that a fellow is in residence, pro-
vided the W-9 form has been com-
pleted and filed with the Society on
the first day of the fellow’s resi-
dence. Unless other arrangements
have been made, stipends for long-
term fellows will be divided in equal
installments, providing for a check
on the first Friday in residence and
on the first Fridays of each remain-
ing month of residence. Checks are
placed in the mailbox in the office
area of the library.
Please be sure that you have re-
turned the form requesting your So-
cial Security number well in advance
of taking up your fellowship in
order to expedite the preparation of
your check. The Society’s finance
staff are prepared to advise fellows
on check-cashing arrangements at
nearby banks. Most of the bank
branches located near the Society
are linked to national automated
teller machine networks (e.g., Cirrus,
Plus, NYCE).
Please note: If you are staying at
9 Regent Street, your stipend will be
automatically reduced by the
amount of rent for your room so
that you will not be taxed on money
paid to the Society for housing.
Tax InformationFellows should make themselves fa-
miliar with the tax law to determine
the tax status of their stipend. The
latest edition of Internal Revenue
Service Publication No. 520, “Tax
Information for American Scholars
in the U.S. and Abroad,” provides a
general introduction. The Internal
Revenue Service and the courts de-
cide whether a particular award is
taxable and to what extent. The So-
ciety does not normally withhold in-
come tax from stipends paid to
fellows, except in the case of certain
non-resident aliens. The Society is,
however, required to report to the
IRS all stipends paid. For the tax
status of expenses related to the
stipend, consult your tax advisor.
International FellowsForeign nationals awarded fel-
lowships should discuss visa and
tax-related matters with Paul Erick-
son, director of academic programs,
as soon as possible. Non-resident
aliens should ask the IRS for a copy
of Publication No. 519, “U.S. Tax
Guide for Aliens.”
FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
32
Fellows DirectoryThe Society’s online directory of
former fellows and research associ-
ates is available on its website:
www.americanantiquarian.org/
Fellowships/fellows.htm
Each entry includes:
• Fellow’s project title
• Education
• Affiliation at the time of the
fellowship
• Publications stemming from the
fellowship
• Other significant publications
• Current affiliation
Fellows are asked to keep the
Society updated on pertinent infor-
mation (including citations of all
publications arising from the fellow-
ship and selected others, and all ad-
dress changes) for this directory.
There is a form for this purpose
that can be accessed from the first
page of the directory.
Concluding Your FellowshipAbout three days before leaving
AAS, please complete the following:
• Arrange an exit interview. Aca-
demic fellows meet with Paul Erick-
son; creative artist fellows with Jim
Moran. If either one is away, the
other is prepared to do the exit in-
terview.
• Ensure everything checked out to
your carrel is returned.
• Settle accounts with the business
office staff.
• Pay any charges owed to readers’
services.
• Provide Cheryl McRell with a
forwarding address, especially if
your address has changed since you
received your fellowship.
Fellowship ReportsSoon after concluding the fellow-
ship, a fellow must send a written
report of what was accomplished
during their fellowship tenure. The
staff member conducting the exit
interview will provide the necessary
details at that time. AAS-NEH fel-
lows must also submit a report di-
rectly to the NEH. The form for
this report may be completed online
(www.neh.gov/online/fellows.asp),
but we do ask you to print it out and
attach a copy to your report to AAS.
An AAS staff member will be in
touch with you about this before the
conclusion of your fellowship.
FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
33
PublicationsThe fellowship grant must be
acknowledged in any publication
resulting from research carried
out with its support. We also ask
that you donate a copy of any
such publications to the Society
for its permanent collections.
AAS-NEH fellows are required
to send an additional copy to the
Endowment. A list of fellows’
publications is maintained on
the Society’s website:
www.americanantiquarian.org/
recentscholarship.htm
YogaYoga is currently offered in
the reading room on Tuesday
evenings after the library closes
and can be paid for either per
session or at a drop-in rate. You
haven’t done yoga until you’ve
done it under the dome. Fellows
are invited to join in!
34
FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
CONTACTS AT AAS
Main Telephone Number508-755-5221
Snow Closing Line 508-471-2199 (call after 7:30 a.m.)
Academic FellowshipsPaul Erickson
Director of Academic Programs
508-471-2158
Artists’ FellowshipsJames David Moran
Director of Outreach
508-471-2131
Housing LogisticsCheryl McRell
Outreach Department
508-471-2149
LibraryElizabeth Watts Pope
Head of Readers’ Services
508-471-2171
Information TechnologyNick Conti
Director of Information
Technology
508-363-1153
Curators Thomas G. Knoles
Marcus A. McCorison Librarian
& Curator of Manuscripts
508-471-2175
Vincent Golden
Curator of Newspapers &
Periodicals
508-471-2148
Lauren Hewes
Andrew W. Mellon Curator of
Graphic Arts
508-471-4124
Laura Wasowicz
Curator of Children’s Literature
508-471-2146
David R. Whitesell
Curator of Books
508-471-2165
Georgia B. Barnhill
Director of the Center for
Historic American Visual Culture
508-471-2173
35
A complete staff directory is posted on
www.americanantiquarian.org/stafflist.htm
36
INDEX
Accommodations
9 Regent Street 26
Hotels 26
Call Slips 12
Catalogs 8
Collections
Care and handling of 10
Catalogs and finding aids 14
Digital 16
Types 7
Computers 6
Contacts at AAS 35
Directions
Driving 20
Parking 21
Public transportation 22
Walking 24
Fellowships
Applying 27
Arrival 28
Carrels 29
Curatorial assistance 27
Directory 33
Fellows’ talks 29
Fellowship report 33
Financial information 32
History 27
Library privileges 29
Mail 30
Orientation 28
Protocol 29
Residence 28
Tax information 32
Telephone 30
Hinman Collator 17
History of AAS 3
Internet and online products 16
Library
Hours 5
Layout 9
Tours 5
Lockers 6
Paging 11
Photocopying 18
Photography 19
Policies & procedures
Books 10
Call slips 12
Cell phones 6
Computers 6
Graphic arts 10
Manuscripts 10
Maps 10
Microfilm 17
Newspapers 10
Permitted items 6
Photography 19
Smoking 6
Publications 34
Reading room 9
Telephones 30
Transportation
Driving to Worcester 20
Public transportation 22
Welcome 1
Worcester attractions 25
Yoga 34
Back cover:Photograph by Janet Pritchard,
who teaches at the University of
Connecticut, Storrs and was a 2008
Jay and Deborah Last Creative
Artist Fellow. The reading room’s
dome is reflected in the magnifying
glass. The Society’s rich collections
were first described as being “under
the generous dome” by Esther
Forbes in the introduction to her
Pulitzer Prize-winning book, PaulRevere and the World He Lived In(1942).
AAS 6.10
